Nurses’ attitudes and knowledge about organ donation and transplantation in closed hospital wards

Objective: Nurses in closed hospital wards, such as Intensive Care and isolation units, play a pivotal role in identifying potential donors and supporting families during sensitive decision-making moments. However, gaps in knowledge or negative attitudes among nurses can hinder donation efforts. This study aims to explore the knowledge and attitudes of closed-ward nurses regarding organ donation and transplantation, providing insights to enhance education, advocacy, and clinical practices in these critical settings.
Methods: Modern analysis was performed on the data collected from questionnaires distributed to nurses of … General Hospital. The study involved 108 nurses. The questionnaire used to collect the data was provided by the Department of Social Work of the … University and distributed in electronic form to hospital nurses.
Results: After analyzing the nurses’ responses, it emerged that 85.19% of nurses are positive about the idea of organ donation and declare themselves willing to become donors, motivated by their will to really help their fellow human beings. In contrast, 5.56% said they would not be willing to donate. The main cause of their refusal seems to be fear and the prejudices they have, but also the fact that there is no trust in the organizations responsible for transplants. Finally, regarding the knowledge of the nurses who participated in the survey, the average knowledge score on the scale 0-100 is 72.
Conclusions: There is a clear need for specialized training for nurses managing organ donation. The emotional burden and responsibilities they face are significant. Enhanced training supports their well-being and ensures a more compassionate, efficient process for donors and families, ultimately improving the experience for all involved.